Lab Practical 2

Question 1

Define a taxonomically ‘good’ character?

Answer 1

one that is genetically determined not enviromentally determined

Question 2

Define ecophenotypic

Answer 2

A phenotype that is visible, physical characteristic which results from enviroment and not genetic expression

*the opposite of a good character

Question 3

What are 4 morphological characteristics that sometimes are used a taxonomic characters

Answer 3

Physiological, behavioral, distributional, cytological

Question 4

Spines are always expressed in what type of format?

Answer 4

Roman numerals

Question 5

Rays are always expressed in what type of format?

Answer 5

numerical

Question 6

What is the format for caudal fin count?

Answer 6

upper + principle + lower

Question 7

What is the format for vertebrae count?

Answer 7

pre-caudal + caudal

Question 8

What is species richness?

Answer 8

the number of different species

Question 9

What is species heterogeneity?

Answer 9

the relative abundance of species

Question 10

How do you determine S?

Answer 10

Average number of species per sample (Literally just count them)

Question 11

How do you determine the Margalef diversity index?

Answer 11

d=(s-1)/lnN

d=(Average number of species per sample-1)/ln(Total number of fish)

Question 12

When is the Margalef diversity index used?

Answer 12

When the sample sizes aren’t even

Question 13

What is the Simpson index?

Answer 13

it shows species heterogenity : number of species present and how frequently they are encountered

[n(n-1)/N(N-1)]
n=number of indivduals per species you are calculating
N=total number of indivuals

Question 14

What is the formula for community similarity?

Answer 14

CS=(Number of species in common) / (Total number of species

Question 15

Define holotype

Answer 15

a single type specimen upon which the description and name of a new species is based.

Question 16

What is a dichotomous key?

Answer 16

Dichotomous Key: is constructed using contrasting characteristics to divide the organisms in the key into smaller and smaller groups; each time a choice is made, a number of organisms are eliminated.

Therefore, dichotomous keys always give two choices in each step.

Question 17

When determining species diversity what two things must be calculated?

Answer 17

Species Richness and Species heterogenity

Question 18

SL (Standard Length) is?

Answer 18

SL (Standard Length): Distance from most anterior portion of body to the base of the caudal fin

Question 19

BD (Body Depth) is

Answer 19

BD (Body Depth): The maximum distance measured perpendicular to the head-to-tail axis of a fish

Question 20

HL (Head Length) is?

Answer 20

HL (Head Length): From the most anterior part of the head to the most posterior part of the operculum

Question 21

SW (Suborbital Width) is?

Answer 21

SW (Suborbital Width): Shortest distance from bottom of eye socket to the edge of the upper jaw